Beyond the map: a WebGIS system based on ArcGIS Enterprise to showcase social projects
In the nonprofit sector, numbers alone aren’t enough. We need tools that can reveal connections, illustrate relationships, and make social impact visible. When dozens of organizations collaborate on complex projects spread across the region, having a clear and up-to-date overview isn’t just helpful, it’s ESSENTIAL. And this is precisely where ArcGIS Enterprise comes into play, as an enabling platform for managing and visualizing geographic data.
In 2024, Con i bambini, in collaboration with Fondazione con Il Sud, launched an initiative to improve access to data related to its network of projects and partner organizations. The goal was not simply to “display a map,” but to build a dynamic, accessible, and interactive platform capable of reflecting the status of activities in real time.
The solution took shape in the development of a WebGIS, an online geographic information system, custom-designed to meet the needs of a nonprofit organization.
The requirement: simplicity, transparency, connection
The social enterprise Con i bambini collects and manages a vast amount of data: names of organizations, regions involved, funded projects, types of initiatives, demographic information, and much more. But data, if left in isolation, tells us nothing.
The challenge was to transform this information into a useful and accessible experience. The main requirements were:
- A system that simplifies the interpretation of complex information
- A method for automatically updating data, without manual operations
- A platform that can be used even by those without advanced technical skills
- A tool capable of visually illustrating the connections between organizations and projects
In other words, a digital space was needed where social change could be navigated with ease.
The process: transforming data into experience
The project was divided into four main phases, all aimed at building a robust and flexible tool.
1. Robust Infrastructure: ArcGIS Enterprise
The first phase involved configuring ArcGIS Enterprise, the primary platform for hosting geographic data and the WebGIS application. This environment ensures security, stability, and scalability.
2. Direct Connection to Source Data
To avoid duplication and keep the data “live,” a direct connection was established with Con i bambini’s PostgreSQL database via ArcGIS Pro. In this way, the data “views” were transformed into Query Layers, information layers that update automatically based on the original source.
This approach ensures that the information displayed on the map is always up-to-date and consistent with the actual data.
3. WebGIS Experience Design
Using ArcGIS Experience Builder, a customized and intuitive interface was created, featuring:
- Custom widgets for filtering and navigating between organizations and projects
- An interactive map that displays all participating organizations in real time
- Informative pop-ups that allow users to explore the relationships and details of each project in depth
The user experience was designed to be seamless and accessible to anyone, without requiring specialized skills.
4. Training for Self-Sufficiency
Finally, Con i bambini staff received hands-on training on using the platform and independently creating new content (maps, applications, layers) via ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online.
The result is a system that is not static but can evolve over time in line with changes within the organization.
A voice from the social enterprise Con i bambini
During and after the development phase, the Con i bambini team recognized the strategic value of the WebGIS system in advancing its social mission, and it will be made publicly available in the coming months. An official statement reads:
“We are very pleased with the results we have achieved. For us, the map we have developed is not just a technological tool, but a true repository of knowledge: a dynamic and accessible platform that visually illustrates the work of our social enterprise and that of many Italian social enterprises dedicated every day to combating early school leaving and addressing situations of marginalization and inequality.
Thanks to a custom-designed approach, the system fully meets our needs for synthesis, continuous updating, and ease of use, allowing us to effectively highlight the social impact of the projects we support.
We particularly appreciate the WebGIS’s ability to highlight the connections between organizations, territories, and interventions, helping us to clearly understand and communicate the complexity of our work.
A sincere thank you to those who worked with expertise and care to create this tool: a concrete step toward data management that is increasingly transparent, shared, and oriented toward change.”
A project that highlights social value
This WebGIS is not just a technical tool. It is a form of visual storytelling. A way to:
- Make social impact visible
- Foster connections among local organizations
- Improve internal communication and activity monitoring
- Use geography as a shared language
Data, stories, territories, and people come together on a single platform. Because sometimes, seeing how everything connects is the first step toward truly building a network.
Who we worked with
Con i Bambini is a non-profit social enterprise founded in 2016 to implement the Fund to Combat Child Educational Poverty. It operates throughout Italy, supporting projects that improve educational opportunities for children and young people, involving schools, families, institutions, and third sector organizations. In addition to funding initiatives, it promotes research and monitoring—including through the #ConiBambini Observatory with Openpolis—to better understand the conditions of minors and promote more effective educational policies.
